Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

Practical Sailor’s annual wrap-up of the year’s best sailing equipment looks at our favorite top-rated products from November 2007 to November 2008, including the Facnor furler for light-air sails, Scad Solo external holding-tank sensor, Pelican Recoil LED flashlight, and Adventure Medical’s first-aid kit for coastal cruisers. In the boat maintenance category, Interlux’s Micron 66 bottom paint and Spray Nine’s waterline stain remover garnered Editors’ Choice picks. Foulie sets (jacket and bibs) by Gill and Helly Hansen were tapped as Practical Sailor Editor’s Choice in apparel, and a host of marine electronics made the list, including the Icom CommandMic III remote mic and Garmin GPSMap 545s 5-inch chartplotter sounder. Jeppesen was recognized for its top-notch electronic chart updating services. Other top gear picks were the Acco proof coil mooring chain and the Achilles HB315-LX fixed-transom inflatable dinghy.

One of a cruising anchors most important traits is its ability to set easily (and reset after a wind shift) in the widest possible variety of bottoms. For those who can carry extra large anchors, holding power, the normal parameter measured by anchor tests, is not as important as setting performance. Once set, an oversized anchor should easily have sufficient holding power. With that in mind, this comparison focuses not on ultimate holding power but the ability of the anchors to set quickly-even in difficult bottoms and with short scope-and to stay set when conditions change. Practical Sailor tested the rollbar-style Manson Supreme and the Rocna as well as the Bruce-inspired Manson Ray claw anchor. Testers looked at each anchors design and measurements, as well as its setting and veering performance on a frozen-sand beach covered with large rocks and on a sand/ mud beach. Practical Sailor encourages readers to weigh these results along with those of previous tests on more typical bottoms before selecting a primary anchor.

David Boye, the Arizona knifemaker whose unique folding boat knife of cast dendritic cobalt won our June 2000 sailors knives bench test and was a reference standard for our March 2004 revisit, recently introduced a new model Basic 3 Cobalt knife. These knives doggedly retain a cutting edge when going through tough, blade-resistant materials like rope, cardboard, or even old rugs. Others give up long before the job is done. In our experience, Boyes cobalt knives last much longer-and when they finally do slow down, they can be resharpened with just a few strokes on a medium stone. The difference, we reason, is in the metallurgy. Boyes cobalt blades are "cast to shape and retain the pristine crystal network of highly dendritic (branching) bonded carbide throughout the blade, which aids in cutting and maintaining the structure of the cutting edge," according to the maker. Most knives are from steel that originally contained a similar crystal microstructure, but then underwent rolling, stamping, or forging to shape. This process breaks down the original carbide microstructure of the metal. The carbides at the edge are then no longer rooted into the overall microstructure. Complex heat treatment is then applied to develop properties such as hardness and toughness.

There are those among us who tend to go through cell-phones and other small electronics like candy. Most anything not tied to the boat is at risk of being dropped overboard-keys, tools, handheld VHFs and GPSs-and more likely to die by drowning than old age. For us, keeping a drybox onboard or in the dinghy is well worth the investment. Its useful for storing important paperwork, other valuables, and electronics. There are several different brands of dryboxes on the market. We checked out the UK UltraBox 408, a submersible (to 30 feet), crushproof box that comes in a range of sizes and is made by Underwater Kinetics (the maker of one of our Recommended LED flashlights, PS December 2007). The box is made of bright yellow, high-impact plastic, so its easy to spot. It comes with a Lexan top that is rated to keep out water, dust, and "corrosive gases." The UK UltraBox 408 we reviewed passed ease-of-use, float, and submersion tests without a hitch. It is comparable to other high-quality boxes and comes with a limited lifetime warranty. We found it for $22 at www.leisurepro.com. A similar product is the Pelican 1120, which we found for $30 at www.diversdirect.com.

Although the day sailor or marina hopper may not need heavy-duty ground tackle or heavy-duty windlasses, it is alarming to see lightweight windlasses appearing more often on boats deemed long-range cruisers. It pays to confirm that your boat’s windlass was selected for ruggedness and reliability. Practical Sailor Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo examines what goes into the making of a windlass at Ideal Windlass in Rhode Island. Naranjo outlines windlass choices and examines windlass design, materials used to make the devices, and windlass repair. Windlass distributors and manufacturers spotlighted in the article include Ideal Windlass, IMTRA, Lewmar, and Maxwell.

Anyone who has ever run before a gale knows how exhilarating it can be. On the right boat, in the right conditions, the adrenaline rush is as intense as any we’ll feel in this world. Bull riders, surfers, and skydivers get a few seconds of excitement. An ocean gale can last for days ... and that’s where the problem lies. With your senses completely in tune with the boat, wind, and sea, the experience of hurtling down an ocean wave stirs the soul. But as the hours pass and day turns to night, the thrill gives way to exhaustion. Mostly, you’re too busy to be afraid, but each mountain of green water that fills the cockpit brings doubt. How high will these waves get? How long can I last? Even with a drogue streaming off the stern to slow down the boat, running before storm-driven waves entails a great deal of risk. There’s danger enough aboard a fully crewed boat, as the rig, sails, and steering gear get pushed to the brink.

Anyone who has ever run before a gale knows how exhilarating it can be. On the right boat, in the right conditions, the adrenaline rush is as intense as any we’ll feel in this world. Bull riders, surfers, and skydivers get a few seconds of excitement. An ocean gale can last for days ... and that’s where the problem lies. With your senses completely in tune with the boat, wind, and sea, the experience of hurtling down an ocean wave stirs the soul. But as the hours pass and day turns to night, the thrill gives way to exhaustion. Mostly, you’re too busy to be afraid, but each mountain of green water that fills the cockpit brings doubt. How high will these waves get? How long can I last? Even with a drogue streaming off the stern to slow down the boat, running before storm-driven waves entails a great deal of risk. There’s danger enough aboard a fully crewed boat, as the rig, sails, and steering gear get pushed to the brink.

Practical Sailor evaluated six snatch blocks in August 2007, with the Harken 1609 receiving the nod as the best all-around snatch block. As a follow-up, Practical Sailor compared two Ronstan snatch blocks, the Ronstan 6831 and the Ronstan 6751, to the Harken block. The Ronstan RF-6751 sports an investment-cast stainless-steel sheave, a heavy-duty latch, and side plates covered with thick, thermoplastic rubber cheeks. The block’s ruggedness and user-friendly latching function make it ideal for heavy duty applications on a cruising boat. Ronstan’s RF-6831 has a stainless-steel frame and tough PVC cheeks. It is representative of Ronstan’s alloy-sheave blocks with its high-quality construction, mid-range cost and working load. Although Practical Sailor prefers the Harken for everyday use, both Ronstan blocks are well-suited for cruising sailors.

Storm trysails rarely get the close look they deserve. Designed to replace the mainsail in a severe storm, it spends most of its life in the sail locker. Trysails should be cut flat, and the center of effort located to optimize stability and helm balance. Generally, the trysail’s clew should be just above the boom, its tack just above the furled mainsail’s head and its head near the mid-point of the mast. It is best to work closely with a sailmaker or a boat’s designer to get the right size and shape trysail. When inspecting or commissioning a trysail, pay close attention to detail at the head, clew, tack, leech, and luff.

Practical Sailor testers’ summer boat to-do list included removing, repairing, and replacing the swing-keel pivot assembly of the Catalina 22, Jelly. The swing-keel hanger assembly supporting Jelly’s keel required a moderate amount of time, skill, and expense to repair. Staff members gleaned ideas for the repairs from fellow Catalina 22 owners through the Catalina 22 National Sailing Owners Association www.catalina22.org.